Reading classic books is a pastime enjoyed by many whereas the enjoyment continues even upon a second or third read of the same story or novel. ‘Classics’ are often viewed to comprise what some call a ‘canon’ of world literature or art. In the traditional sense, a classic book is one written in ancient Rome or ancient Greece. However, today, ‘classic’ is often applied to literature and other art (e.g., motion pictures) that is widely considered a model of its form. By way of example, authors who have written ‘classics’ include ‘William Shakespeare,’ ‘Jonathan Swift,’ ‘James Joyce,’ ‘Lewis Carroll,’ ‘Geoffrey Chaucer,’ and ‘Mark Twain,’ among others.
Although most traditional ‘classics’ are products of history years ago, the words and themes of these ‘classics’ are sometimes used to describe newer works. Because of their age, many classic works have exceeded the term of copyright protections. Thus, many are now in the public domain and free to use by anyone without issues involving copyright infringement.
To keep the classics in circulation for generations to come, many of these works have been modified to conform to today's technological age. For instance, many of the classics are now available in digital form such that users can enjoy them via a computer, personal media player, smart-phone, personal digital assistant (PDA) or the like. As many of the classics have been altered to conform with technology, many times, this adaptation also improves upon quality and longevity of the original work.
As described above, a ‘classic’ is often interpreted as merely a widely-read book or storyline, however, it very often refers to a work that marks a turning point in history. With respect to these literary works, ‘classics’ may reflect the traditional views of earlier societies or report social conflicts during a particular time. It has been said that ‘classics’ that dominate in literature often suggest a social or philosophical change.
Some people enjoy many ‘classics’ because of the clever development of the plot and/or characterization. Although, many of the classic works have been modified to conform to technological advances, these modifications have merely been to improve circulation, to increase availability, or to enhance quality and longevity of the storyline. In other words, content of the classics has not been altered over time. Even though the storyline of most ‘classics’ is known by many, an interesting characteristic of a ‘classic’ is that, although most know the storyline, they have been read and enjoyed over and over by past generations and will be for generations to come.